Half to george l



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

w. M. GRoss. EXGAVATING MACHINE. No. 505,460. Patented Sep-t. 26, 1893.

(No Model;) 2 Sheets-Sheat 2. W. M. GROSS. BXGAVATING MACHINE No. 605,460.V Patented Sept. 26, 1893.

Jaan-I VJ% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.. i

WILLIAM MILTON GROSS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALE TO GEORGE L. WALKER, OE SAME PLACE.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,460, dated September 26, 1893.

Application filed September 3, 1892. Serial No. 445,022. (No model.)

.T0 all whom it may conccrn: i

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MIL'roN GROss, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient and adjustable excavator for elevating earth, sand and like material in street and road grading, excavating, ditching and building dikes and embankments, grading of railroads and work of similar character.

My invention relates to the class of wheel and carrier excavatorsin which the material excavated by a plow or other suitable device is deposited thereby on' a wheel or other device which elevates and delivers the material onto a carrier by which it is finally discharged on the dump or embankment, or into the cart as the case may be.

My invention consists in the particular means whereby the material is automatically excavated, raised and discharged, in means whereby the excavator may be maintained at any desirable angle to a hillside or embankment as the case may require; in the Vertical and horizontal adjustment of the plow or excavator proper; in the peculiar construction of the buckets in the excavator Wheel; in the adjustable construction and location of the carrier in respect to the wheel; in the auto' matic gear connection between the excavator wheel and the carrier Operating mechanism; in the yielding mold board of the excavator plow; in the location of plow and carrier on opposite sides of the bucket wheel offering peculiar facilities for perpendicular excava-` tion and in other details hereinafter specified;

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention: Figure 1 is a side elevation; and Fig. 2 is'a plan view of the excavator. Fig. 3 is a view in cross section of the same showing the gear which actuates the carrier; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views of various details of my invention.

Af' is the main Wheel mounted on the axle A turning in its bearing a' in the supporting frame H.

K isv thesupporting wheel located at the delivery side of the frame and Vhaving its axle secured to a frame 70 sliding vertically in guides Za' le' on the frame H (see Fig. 4).

'a is a hand lever pivoted to a bracket N on the frame H and having one arm connected to the sliding frame k at 'n' and the other arm engaging with the rack n? by which it is held securely in place. By raisiug or depressing the lever n it is evident that the discharging end of the supporting frame l-I is raised or lowered.

U is a swiveled caster wheel placed under the forward part of the frame H to hold the frame level and also to allow the whole machine to be turned around on its two main Wheels K and A'. U' is a hand wheel by which it is controlled.

X is a plow beam parallel with the land or receiving side of the excavator frame H, and moves vertically in guides w secured to the frame H at each extremity of the plow beam. The plow beam X is raised and lowered at either end bymeans of the hand levers ef pivoted to suitable standards on the frame H, and connected to the plow beam by the links 62 Apertures in the guides a; coincide with suitable apertures in the plow beam ends through which may be passed a pin to fasten :the plow beam in any suitable position.

I is a plow having a rack frame 1' moving horizontally in 'a Vertical longitudinal slot x2 in the plow beam X where it is held by means of the studs i' moving` in the longitudinal slots h h lin the sides of the plow beam.

A hand lever g pivoted at g' to the plow beam X carries a freely swinging stirrup Q2 which engages with the teeth of the rack frame I' projecting above the slot m2 in the plow beam; and serves to move the plow horizontally into such position in respect to the bucket wheel A' that the earth discharged from the plow shall always be delivered within the rim of the Wheel.

13 is a loop loosely pivoted to the plow beam X to hold the plow in place when moved alon the beam.

The mold board 12 of the plow is jointed or hinged and held in its position vby the coiled spring 72 interposed between it and the plow frame, so that a rock or other substance wedging between the mold board and the wheel A' causes the mold board to yield, expelling the obstacle'whereupon the spring i returns it to its normal position.

j is a gage wheel secured under the beam H.

The main wheel A' has a broad rm or tread D connected on the land side by the spokes C to the hub B; a ledge or rim d projects somewhat beyond the spokes on the land side and it is turned up and in forming a narrow flange, while the broa-d part of the tread forming the bottom of the buckets G extends toward the delivery side of the frame. The tread of the wheel is encircled by metal tires a b c which serve to strengthen it. The backs of the buckets G are formed by a broad ring F secured to the edge of the tread D on the delivery side of the wheel and dished away from the center of thewheel for a purpose hereinafter described.v Diagonal partitions G' forming the sides of the buckets extend from the ring F diagonally across the interior of the tread D where they are attached to the spokes O over whichl they are flanged at c' to form a cutting edge on the land side of the wheel A'. The inner edge of the partitions G' extending to- Ward the axle of the Wheel A' are also fianged or turned up at 02 at an angle that will hold the earth from falling off the buckets during the forward motion of the Wheel until the buckets reach a point vertically above the axle A, when they empty by gravity.

E- is a scalloped ring located on the land side of the wheel at a suitable distance above the rim d to allow the material excavated by the plow I to fall between it and the rim d into the buckets; the ring E is dished inwardly and secured to the spokes O and the edge of the partitions G' thus forming the month. of the buckets. The scallops on the ring E are formed by cutting out a triangular piece at e' from its outer edge extending across theV month of the bucket, so that when the latter comes opposite the plow it will present an enlarged aperture to the material delivered from the mold board.

J is the carrier consisting of the fixed carrier frame J' extending within the circumference of the bucket wheelA' to its land side above the axle A and below the interior openings of the buckets G when vertically above the axle; it is secured above the supporting wheel K by the braces T attached to the main supporting frame H.

Jz is a jointed extension of the carrier frame projecting over the wheel K.

R' R' are the carrier rollers mounted in the frame J J', and m m are small sprocket Wheels or rollers on shafts also mounted in the frame J J' at proper intervals between the rollers RI R' to assist in carrying the belt or draper R2.

To convey motion to the rollers R' and belt R2 the bevel gear L is mounted on the axle A of the bucket wheel. A shaft L' held in bearings on the braces T carries at its inner end a bevel gear Z which meshes with the gear L on the axle A and at its outer end a sprocket wheel N'; an endless chain N2 connects the sprocket wheel N' with a sprocket wheel P' mounted on the carrier shaft O turning iu bearings in the fixed carrier frame J. An endless chain Q passing over a sprocket wheel P at the other end of the shaft O conveys motion to the sprooket Wheels R R mounted on the rollers R' R'.

To raise and lower the hinged carrier frame J2 it is connected by links 8 to arms 8' projecting from a shaft S' turning in fixed bearings in the standards S2 on the fixed frame J; a hand level' S attached to the shaft S'serves to turn the shaft to raise and lower the hinged carrier frame J2.

V is a shield hinged at its lower end t' o to the receiving end of the carrierframeJ within the bucket wheel A' forming an extension over the carrier belt of the interior edge of the ring E on the mouth of the buckets G when the latter are inverted above the axle and prevents the falling of a rock or stone from oif the end of the carrierinto the s'pokes of the wheel and also serves as a chute together with the outwardly dished back F to direct the material from the buckets onto the carrier. The hinges-v o allow it to swing with the motion of the carrier permittingsmall obstacles to pass.

W is the tongue or pole attached to the forward end of the frame H.

The operation of my in-vention is as follows: The angle of the bucket wheel A' to the embankment being adjust'ed by ra'ising or lowering the supporting wheel K in respect to the frameV H, the plow I is raised or lowered as required by the levers e f, and advanced into proper position with respectI to the buckets G by means of its rack frame I, hand lever g andstirrup'g2. As the excavator adva'nces the material dug up' by the plow is delivered into the buckets G lifted by the rotation of the bucket wheel A', dumped on to the endless belt R2 to which motion is communicated by the axle gear, and finally discharged into a cart or on the earth at the side of the exca'vator over the'hinged portion J2 of the carrier which is raised or lowered according to the height of the receptacle for the material. At the end of the trench or cut the excavator is turned on its bucket wheel as a pivot by means of the swivel caster wheel U. Obstacles encountered pass between the.

bucket wheel A' and the yielding moldboard I2 which at once returns to its normal position'.

It is evident that by means of the hor-izontal adjustment of the plow in a straight line' parallel withv the side of thebucket wheel and with the surface being excavated, I am enabled to adjust it in one movement to deliver into the lowest bucket without varyi'ng the depth of the cut or lifting the entire weight of the excavator on the plow as is the case where the latter is advanced by a pivotal movement in the line of an arc, and 'my IOO invention presents theadditional advantage, that Whatever adjustment may be given to the plow, the latterisheld rigidly and firmly to its Work by its attachrnents through the rack frame and plow beam to the main frame without the possibility of yielding either horizontally or vertically.

It is also evidcnt that in view of the peculiar construction of the buckets forming a chute or delivery over and onto the carrier belt which lies directly under them, the shield V may be dispensed with, without interfering with the operation of the buckets and carrier. I thus provide an cxcavator turning in a very small space, adjustable to any angle of the surface worked over, having an adjustable relation between `the excavator plow and the bucket Wheel, and adj ustable carrier discharge, and further capable of excavating the material close up to an embankment or obstruction and of making therein a nearly perpendicular cutting, and thus effecting a great economy of time and labor.

IIaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an excavating machine, the combination With the supporting frame, of a bucket Wheel having Aa construction adaptedto re-A ceive elevate and discharge the material therein, an unyielding excavator support in the frame, an excavator held rigidly therein, and means actuated by a single lever for adjusting the excavator horizontally in astraight line, snbstantially as described.

2. In an excavating machine, the combination With the supporting frame, of a bucket Wheel havinga construction adapted to receive, elevate and discharge the material deposited therein, an unyielding adj ustable excavator support in `the frame, an excavator held rigidly therein, means for adjusting the excavator support vertically in respect to, the rotating device and frame, and means actuated by a single lever for adj usting the excavator horizontally in a straight line, substantially as described.

3. In an excavating machine, the combination With the supporting frame, of a rotating device having a construction adapted to receive, elevate and discharge the material deposited therein, a plow beam supported in said frame and having a Vertical longitudinal slot and lateral longitudinalslots, a plow having a rack frame moving horilzontally in said Vertical slot, studs on the rack frame sliding in said lateral slots, a lever pivoted to said plow beam and having a stirrup engaging with said plow rack frame, and a gage Wheel on said plow beam, substantially as described.

4. In an excavating machine, the combination with the supporting frame, of a rotating device having a construction adapted to receive, elevate and discharge the material deposited therein, a plow beam supported in said frame and having the Vertical and lateral longitudinal slots, as described, Vertical guides secured to the supporting frame at each extremity of and retaining the plow beam, means for fastening the plow beam t'o the guides, a plow having a rack frame moving horizontally in said Vertical slot, studs on the rack frame sliding in said lateral slots, a lever pivoted to said plow beam and having a stirrup engaging with said rack frame, levers pivoted to standards secured to the supporting frame and connected `to said plow beam ends as described, and a gage wheel on said plow beam, substantially as described.

n 5. In an excavating machine, the combination With the supporting frame, of a bucket Wheel adapted to receive, elevate and discharge the material deposited therein, an unyielding adj ustable excavator support in the frame, an excavator held rigidly therein, means for adjusting the excavator support vertically in respect to the rotating device and frame, means actuated by a single lever for adj usting the excavator horizontally in a straight line, and a supporting wheel vertically adjustable in respect to the supporting frame, substantially as described.

6. In an excavating machine, the combination With the supporting frame, ofa rotating device adapted to receive elevate and discharge the material deposited therein, a plow beam supported in said frame and vertically adjustable therein, a plow supported in said plow beam and horizontally adj ustable therein, a gage wheel on said plow beam, a Vertical shdingframesecuredtosaidsupportingframe, a wheel having its axle sliding in said frame,

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a lever pivoted to the supporting frame and i suitably connected to said wheel axle for raising and lowering the same, and a looking device on said supporting frame for looking the lever in position as described.

n 7. In an excavating machine, the combination with the supporting frame, of a rotating device having a construction adapted to receive, elevate and discharge the material depositedtherein, and a plow supported by the i frame and having a hinged mold board and yielding spring connection between` the mold board and the plow frame, as described.

8. In an excavating machine, the combination with the supporting frame H, of the bucket wheel A' having a construction adapt- V ed to receive, elevate `and discharge the material deposited therein, the plow beam X supported in said frame and sliding vertically in the guides xsecured to the supporting frame, at each extremity of the plow beam, the standards secured to the supporting framelH, the` levers f e pivoted to said standards and the, links f' 82 connected to said plow beam and levers whereby theplow beam can be elevated and lowered the locking device consisting of apertures x w' in said plow beam and guides and a pin to secure them together, the ploWI and the gage wheel j both secured to saidplow beam, substantially asdescribed.

9. In an excavatinglmachine, the combination With the supporting frame, of an excavator supported therein, and a bncket wheel having a broad rim or tread D secured near the receiving edge to the spokes of the wheel and forming the bottom of the buckets, the outwardly dished ring F on its delivery side forming the back of the buckets, the interior diagonal partitions G connecting the ring F With the spokes having the outting and retaining flanges as deseribed and forming the sides of the bnckets, and the inwardly dished scalloped ring E on the receiving side forrning the month of the bnckets, substantially as described.

10. In an excavatin g machine, the combination with the snpporting frame, of an eXcavator, a bucket wheel having the rim D, the ontwardly dished ring F, the interior diagona'l partitions G and the inwardly dished scalloped ring E, and a carrier supported by the frame and extending within the buok'et Wheel and adapted to receive and discharge the material delivered from the buckets, substantially as described.

11. In an excavating machine, the combination with the supporting frame, of an eXcavator, a bneket wheel having the rim D, the outwa'rdly dished ring' F, the interior diagonal partitions G and the inwardly dished scalloped ring E, a carrier-supported by the frame, extending Within the bucket wheel and adapted to receiveand diseharge the material delivered from the bnckets, and the shield V secured to the carrier frame and adapted to form with the ring E of the buoket Wheel a delivery chnte onto the carrier, as described.

12. In an excavating machine, the combinationwith the supporting frame, of an exca-v vator, a bncket wheel having the rim D, the outwardly dished ring nal partitions Gand the inwardlydished scalloped ring E, a carrier frame extending within the cireumference of the bucket wheel and having an endless carrier running upon rollers mounted in the frame a gear wheel on the bncket Wheel axle, and suitable gear connection between it and the carrier rollers, substantially as described.

13. In an excavating machine, the combination with the snpporting frame, of an eXcavator, a bueket wheel having the rim D, the ontwardly dished ring F, the interior diagonal partitions G and the inwardly dished scalloped ring E, a carrier frame having a fixed receiving end extending within the circum- F, the interior diagoference of the bucket wheel and a hinged outer-delivery end, an endless carrier monnted upon rollers in said carrier frame, suitable gearing between the bucket wheel axle and the carrier rollers, and suitable means for raising'and lowering the delivery end of the carrier, as described. 14. In an excavating machine, the combination with the snpporting frame, of an excavator, a bncket Wheel having the axle A and the buckets formed by the rim D, the out- Wardly dished ring F, the interior diagonal partitions G and the inwardly dished scalloped ring E, the carrier J having the fixed frame extending Within the circnmference of the bucket wheel, and the hinged delivery frame, the endless carrier traveling over the rollers in said fixed and hinged frames, the sprocket Wheel Q on the hinged frame rolrler, the shaft O mounted in the outer ex'tremity of said fixed frame, the sprocket Wheel P on said shaft, the chain connection between `the sprocket Wheels on the shaft and rollers, the bevel gear L on said bucket wheel axle, its pinion shaft and sprooket wheel N and the chain connection with the carrier shaft O, the lever S pivoted to the fixed'carrier frame and suitably connected to its hinged delivery end, and the shield V secured to the carrier frame, as described.

15. In an excavating machine, the combination With the snpporting frame, of the Vertically adjnstable supporti'ng wheel, the swivel wheel secured to theforward end of said frame, the plow having the hinged mold board and n spring as desoribed, and adjustable Vertically and horizontally in said frame, the bucket Wheel mounted in said frame and having the rim, partit'ions and rings as described, the endless carrier having the fixed and hinged portions extending within the oireumferenoe of said bucket wheel as described, the gear for Operating the carrier directly from the axle, the lever connection for Operating the hinged end of the carrier, and the carrier Shield, all constrncted and Operating, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof I have vhereunto set my hand in the presence of two snbscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MILTON GROSS.

Witnesses:

J. N. RUSSELL,

G. W. PEDDYooRD.

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